Cutting IT spend by 40% while building a better partner.
Taking on the initiatives leadership never had time to run.
A stretched-thin business needed to spend less, use better tools, and maintain a positive team experience through it all.
A Portland business serving municipalities had complex, fast-paced operations and no one to execute key initiatives that would grow the business and reduce costs. Technology spend was rising, and leadership’s focus was on keeping the business running, not changing, improving, or growing it.
Our founder took on several initiatives: enhancing the employee experience, creating and launching a new product, and reducing technology spend.
Urgent needs without leadership capacity
Leadership had little ability to look beyond day-to-day operations, and their current technology partner was only making the situation more complex. Finding a better partner and reducing spend was imperative, but on its own, the business could only do so much.
A leader for all the extra work
Leadership was focused on keeping the business running, and no one owned the initiatives that would improve it. Working alongside leadership and the owners, our founder dug into contracts and invoices, built the case for change, ran the RFP for a new provider, and helped transition all the IT work to a new, better, and lower-cost partner.
Following the contracts and invoices
The most impactful decision was to move IT managed service providers. We dug into the contracts, invoices, and services, and found that much of the work being paid for wasn’t being done. We got that work completed first, then evaluated whether to continue with the provider. We built the data and a recommendation to move, ran an RFP, and helped transition all IT work to a new partner.
The outcome
A partnership for real change
The business has a new IT managed service partner that is helping reduce costs, secure data, and improve processes. Technology costs dropped by more than 40%, data is secure, and documentation is being developed.
40%+
reduction in IT spend
3
initiatives led: employee experience, a new product, and technology cost reduction
1
RFP run to select a new IT managed service partner
100%
of IT work transitioned to the new partner
We work alongside the leadership team and owners, taking on initiatives they don’t have capacity to focus on.
The most valuable work started with digging into the technology landscape, learning the business’ most pressing needs, and finding a partner they loved that was also cheaper.
"We had multiple priorities vying for our attention, but Elizabeth structured the work so every initiative supported the next, including our move to a new IT partner. The complicated changes we were facing not only became manageable, but we now have better protection for our data, a partner we trust, and lower costs."
Kellie Chauncey-Lance
Owner and VP, Operations and Finance
Management consulting often means working with an experienced outside leader who takes on the initiatives your leadership team doesn’t have capacity to run. Unlike traditional consulting firms that deliver recommendations and leave the execution to you, Alder45 works alongside your team to turn strategy into action. We bring experienced leadership, practical solutions, and hands-on support to the initiatives that matter most. We're based in Portland, Oregon, but partner with businesses across the country.
Management consultants are useful when they own specific outcomes and dig into the details. An example of useful management consulting is above—where we reviewed IT contracts and invoices revealed that much of the work being paid for wasn’t being done. We then ran an RFP and moved the business to a better partner, cutting IT spend by more than 40%.
When hiring a consultant, look for someone who will learn your situation, work alongside your leadership, and take ownership of results. In this Alder45 engagement, we dug into the technology landscape, built the data and recommendation ourselves, and found a partner the client loved.
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